Taking the Plunge

Yesterday, my brother said, "Raising a kid is not an experiment." Well, in my limited experience, it kind of is. Albert Einstein once said, "Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." That's kind of how I feel about our current nap/sleep method with Ethan. It's just not working, and I'm going crazy!

The problem lies in two conflicting viewpoints on the nap/sleep front. The first approach involves not letting a baby sleep "too much" during the day, in the hopes that they will sleep more at night. Let's call the second, the "don't wake a sleeping baby" approach. The name says it all.

We've been trying the first approach, making sure that Ethan is fed every 3-4 hours. Between the length of the feedings and his need to be awake a bit (since he's more alert now), he was only getting a 1-1.5 hour nap. I think he's so overtired at night, that he's not even getting 3-4 hour stretches then! Therefore, he is not getting an appropriate amount of sleep. Also, since I feed him when he wakes (or when I wake him, for that matter), I feel that he's not always hungry, and falls asleep mid-feeding. This causes him to need to eat smaller amounts more frequently. 

I think we are going to take the plunge and try approach #2. This is the recommended approach in Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child which I am slowly reading. Dr. Weissbluth, the author, claims that if you don't let your baby/child sleep the appropriate amount necessary for that 24 hour period, they will be in "sleep debt". They will be so overtired, that their bodies will not let them fall asleep as they should. 

Now, I plan to not let him sleep more than three hours at a time during the day, since that has been the consensus among the people I've polled (read: my mom and friends). I know that I have to give this a try for about a week to see if it will work. The difficult part will be to continue on the first few days and nights, even when it seems like it might not be working. The truth is, it might not work, but raising a child is and experiment, after all.

Thanksgiving...Pinsky Style

For us, Thanksgiving is normally spent in Cincinnati with Kevin's family. So, off to Cincy we went Thursday afternoon, with Ethan and Tobi in tow. This year, there would be a new twist in tradition that I, personally, hope sticks around for years to come.

We had a quiet and pleasant Thanksgiving meal with Kevin's parents. Of course, Ethan wanted to eat just as we were sitting down for dinner, and baby does come first. When I finally got to eat my meal, it was delicious.

The next night, my brother's in law (Steve and Ben), sister-in-law (Erin), Steve's girlfriend (Cindy), and our nephews (Eli and Will) joined us at my in-laws' house for a "Make Your Own Pizza Night". While not the traditional Thanksgiving meal, it was a blast! We all got to make our own pizzas, chat, and spend some quality time with one another. 

It was heartwarming to see the three cousins together. Whenever Eli spotted Ethan, he'd say, "That's my cousin," or "That's Baby Ethan." When Eli noticed that Ethan was in a different room, he'd look at me and say, "I go find my cousin," walk out of the room, take a peek at him, and come back. When it was time to go, Eli bent over a sleeping Ethan in his swing and gave him a kiss on his toes. ADORABLE!!! 

I truly can't wait to see these three little guys grow up together. 

P.S. - No pictures. Apparently, not all Cannon cameras use the same battery charger, as Kevin thought. Oops!!

Our Little Chunker

Ethan went to the doctor on Wednesday for his one month check-up. He got a gold star! He didn't even cry that much when he got his Hepatitis shot.

Last night, we were speculating that he'd grown quite a bit, since he couldn't quite stretch his legs out all the way in his Sleep 'n Play...time to move up to the next size! However, we had no idea how much weight he'd put on since last week until we got him on the scale in the doctor's office. 

Our "chunky monkey" is now 8lbs. 3oz.! That's a weight gain of 1lb. 7oz. since last week!! As a breastfeeding mama, it's nice to get reassurance that your child is, in fact, eating enough, since you can't see what's going in. I think we're on the right track!

Starting to gain some chub!

Easy Fall Brownies

Kevin and I are not big experimenters in the kitchen. We usually just follow recipes, but with the help of my mother-in-law, we came up with this super easy (and yummy) fall brownie recipe. It's probably also way better for you because it eliminates the eggs and oil you'd normally use for the recipe. 

Ingredients:
1 15oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 box low-fat brownie mix

Directions:
Combine both ingredients, and mix until there are no lumps. Pour into a greased brownie pan. Follow cook times on the box. After baking, allow brownies to cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Happy 1-Month Birthday, Ethan!

I wanted to start this post by saying, "I can't believe it's been a month since Ethan was born!", but the truth is, part of me kind of can. Some days seem to just fly by, but some nights go on forever. I'm sure you moms know what I'm talking about. 

What I can't believe is how much this little guy has grown! We go to the doctor tomorrow for his one month visit (and shots...ick), so I will post his stats then. I'm positive he's over 7lbs., though, which for a peanut who dropped to 5lbs., 13.5oz. after birth, is a significant gain! He lifting his own head, and even holding it up on his own for several seconds at a time. His grip is really strong, and he's starting to move his legs. 

My favorite thing about him right now is his sleep smile. Just as he's about to doze off, his face gets completely relaxed, and he smiles. He looks like he's in a trance, and it's just about one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

My least favorite thing is the short 3-hour spurts of sleep he has at night...not long enough for mommy. I know he'll grow out of these, though...hopefully!

Now that he's learning how to work his limbs, he's started to grab onto his face and pull. This causes him to pinch himself, and he just screams because it hurts. Of course, he doesn't actually realize he is causing his own pain yet! 

This little guy is A LOT of work, but we are remembering to enjoy him. I know that soon, he won't be so tiny, and I'll be wishing that he was.

Poor Tobi

Well, it's official. Our little dog baby, Tobi, needs surgery. He's gone from a fun-loving, energetic dog, to a little lump of sad puppy. Apparently, he has the equivalent of two torn ACLs. Not cool. The vet said he had the knees of a 12-year old dog...he's six. Once we figure out timing, we'll definitely be splurging on this surgery. Kevin needs to be home to help with the recovery, because taking a dog out on a leash with a newborn in the winter is not exactly my idea of a relaxing walk. 

While we are sad that this poor dog has to go through all of this, we are relieved that we know what's wrong, and that there is a solution. I can't tell you how many awful thoughts were going through my head as to what was wrong. Knowing that this is a fairly common problem for dogs, according to the vet, also puts me at ease a bit. 

I'll keep you posted on the surgery and our little Tobi's recovery.

 

Sharon Family Thanksgiving

This last Sunday, my family had our annual Thanksgiving meal. With significant others in the picture, we find it less stressful to move our dinner to the Sunday before the actual holiday. This way, we get to spend Thanksgiving with both sides of the family, which makes it easier on all parties.  

We usually host at our house, but with an infant, we knew it would be crazy. Luckily, my family helped us out a bunch by bringing most of the meal. The food was delicious and the company was wonderful. Kevin was even able to catch a Bengals game on T.V.! 

Ethan really enjoyed his first Sharon Family Thanksgiving!

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

Just can't help myself with the bath pictures. He's just so darn cute! Here is Ethan's very first bath in his baby bath tub. He didn't completely hate it, but he didn't completely love it. 

Blogger's Manifesto

Thought this was cute. I especially like the part about writing about one thing that scares you each week. I think I've met this quota...motherhood can definitely be a scary experience!

Ethan's First Play Date

Today, Mommy and Ethan were quite adventurous. We picked up some Subway sandwiches, chips, and cookies, and headed to my friend Marissa's house. Her son, Luke, was born just 9 days after Ethan, so we thought it would be nice to get these little guys together for a Play Date...or Nap Date, as was the case! We all enjoyed some lunch and great company this afternoon. 

Luke and Ethan...napping. Two handsome boys!

Trusting My Instincts

The last week has been a tough one. As you could tell from my previous post, Kevin traveling took a toll on me. Not only that, Ethan had MANY tough nights in a row, causing me to miss out on my sleep. This did not help my mental state. 
When Kevin came home, I thought things would be better, but Ethan continued his routine of sleepless nights. He also developed awful gas, which kept waking him up every 10 minutes after we'd finally get him out. It was exhausting for all three of us.

I was a complete mess by the time Sunday rolled around, especially since I knew Kevin was leaving again early the next morning. Sunday night was one of Ethan's worst, because of the gas. After no sleep between three feedings, I decided my body was too exhausted to feed him again. I knew that had to break out the formula...I know, the dreaded "F" word. However, it filled Ethan up, and with the assistance of his swing, we were both able to get four hours of sleep in a row. It doesn't sound like much, but to this sleep deprived mom, it was GOLD!

I've had a case of the "Baby Blues", which I know is normal. With the raging hormones, sleep deprivation, stress of single parenthood, and my recovering body, I felt like I wasn't making the right decisions. I was completely confused as to what to do, and felt like I wasn't doing anything right for Ethan. My friends all told me to "follow my instincts", and "go with my gut", but I was so tired, I couldn't figure out what my gut was telling me to do...or maybe I just wasn't listening! 

The formula decision was a tough one for me. I was worried about what people would think of me for not exclusively breastfeeding my baby, and I also hate feeling like I'm failing at something. My gut was telling me that this would be best for Ethan, since it would fill his tummy so he (and I) could get longer stretches at night. (He kept falling asleep while feeding, so he wasn't eating his fill at night.) I was reassured when this worked. 

Our new plan is to formula feed before bedtime and once during his middle of the night feedings, and then breastfeed the for all daytime feedings. I really don't care what others think. This is what is best for my child and me, and that's what really matters.

Accepting Help

This week was very trying for me. It was WAY more difficult than I thought it would be to take care of Ethan all by myself, without Kevin. I felt like I had no relief, no adult interaction, no sleep...you get the idea.

We had an awful night on Monday, with Ethan crying and crying, and me crying and saying, "I can't do this," over and over. I started reading Babywise during my feedings and read about some things I was doing "wrong". I was so confused on what to do, that I was second guessing everything, and driving myself and Ethan crazy! I called Kevin at 2:15am upset, and then called my mom at 6:45am...upset.

After another awful night of sleep on Tuesday night, I raised my white flag of surrender. I was driving myself crazy, feeling like I was not cut out for motherhood, I wasn't eating or sleeping...I was just in bad shape. I realized I could not do this by myself so soon. I called my mom's friend, Debra (or my "fairy godmother", as I will henceforth refer to her), who said she'd come over and stay the day and night with me so I could get some rest. She did Ethan's laundry, made me lunch, cleaned up around the house, changed him, fed him, got up with him in the middle of the night, etc. I got 7 hours of sleep...IN A ROW!!

Today, Ethan and I were both well-rested, and we had a wonderful day together. It's also nice to know that Kevin will be home any minute! 

The moral of this blog post is: Accept help when it is offered. I thought I should be able to do this by myself, but the truth is, being a mom of an almost 3-week old is hard. I'm not doing a bad job just because I need to rely on friends and family to get me through these first few weeks (or months). 

Single Mommy-hood...Week 1

This is the week I've been dreading since we brought Ethan home from the hospital...the week Kevin starts work again. As most of my blog readers know, Kevin is an IT Consultant, so he travels for work. This means that I am on parenting duty by myself from Monday morning through Thursday evening. Needless to say, I'm a little nervous. 

I have a great support system around me, with tons of friends and family who are willing to bring me meals, hang out with me, or watch Ethan. It's not the days that bother me...it's having no break from day through night, through day through night...you get the idea. 

Here are some things I'm going to attempt to figure out this week, as a single mom of a newborn:

1. How you make an outing by yourself with a baby...and all his stuff. We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
2. How to care for a dog alongside an infant. Hopefully, I can remember to feed him twice a day, give him his pills, and let him out to do his business!
3. Host Book Club...with a baby. Really, this is a favor to me. I'm not comfortable taking a two-week old baby to the restaurant where we normally meet, so my Book Club is coming over to my place.
4. Shower. I made sure to get one in on Sunday, but at some point, I'm going to have to do it! 
5. Make Defrost my meals. We're still living off all the food we made and froze during my pregnancy, plus the food people brought over (and we froze) these last two weeks. I still have to remember to take them out of the freezer in the morning, or else I'm out of luck for dinner!
6. Tidying up around the house...we'll see how far we get on this one.

Wish me luck, and if you have any advice for me on how to accomplish any of the tasks above, please share!

Squeaky Clean!

A few pictures of Ethan after his bath. We use a space heater to make him more comfortable, since he HATES being naked and cold. As you can see, he is one happy camper!

Sleep Sack vs. Swaddle Me

One thing we've learned about Ethan, he absolutely loves to be swaddled. While Kevin might be a pro at using receiving blankets to snugly wrap up our little bug, I'm still a novice. Enter Sleep Sacks and Swaddle Me Wraps. With the help of some velcro, even I can use these wraps. As for which I prefer? I'm not sure yet, but I'm leaning towards the Sleep Sacks.

Swaddle Me

I like that the Swaddle Me is tightly fit to the baby's body. There is not a ton of excess fabric bunched at the bottom. I love that he looks like a little glow worm in this. The velcro is a pretty easy to use, but it gets stuck on itself when you try to put a wriggly baby in it. Also, Ethan, or "Little Houdini", as we like to call him, has managed to figure out how to free his hand. It somehow always ends up by his face. Usually, this is not a problem, but if he moves a lot, he'll scratch himself and wake up.

Halo Sleep Sack

The Sleep Sack is super easy to use. The fabric has a little give to it, so it lets you wrap baby up tightly. I like that it's a "wearable blanket", and "Little Houdini" has trouble getting out of this one, because of the little armholes and zipper up the front that keep his arms in check. He hand did escape once last night, but that's because I didn't wrap him up tightly enough. I wish there wasn't a ton of extra fabric bunched around the bottom, but it's really not hurting anyone. 

If I had to pick, I'd choose the Halo Sleep Sack...and I think Ethan would agree.

Snug as a bug in a rug!

Meet My New Best Friend...

 Thanks to my sister-in-law for getting us the Sleep Sheep On the Go. Because of this fuzzy little guy, I was able to take a long shower and straighten my hair. Ethan was quickly put to sleep by the sheep's soothing sounds. It even has a timer option so you don't have to worry about turning it off. Ethan snoozed in his vibrating bouncy seat while the sheep worked it's magic! I love you, Sleep Sheep!!